The War Years

7 December 1941 Imperial Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. 11 December 1941 NaziGermany declares war on the United States. The “regional” conflicts in Europe and the Pacific Rim have now become a world war; World War II.

The United States is the only country with the industrial strength to process, manufacture and mass produce the war materials necessary to defeat the axis forces. America will become “The Arsenal of Democracy”.

AXIS PLAN OF ATTACK FOR THE NEW WORLD 1940. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

Axis “wishful thinking” Battle Plan

CARIBBEAN CONVOY 1942 .BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

The “arsenal” will require vast amounts of raw materials. More than is available in the Continental United States. Gasoline, lubricants, iron ores, aluminum, nitrates, rubber, cotton, food stuff, ect. They will find these vast amounts in South America. German U-boats will be waiting

GERMAN U-BOATS IN THE CARIBBEAN 1942. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

15 February 1942 Nazi Germany executes Operation Neuland. German U-boats will attack all merchant shipping in the Caribbean. Illustration; Gaylord Kelshall “The U-Boat War in the Caribbean”

TORPEDOED MERCHANT SHIP TAKES SHELTER IN THE BAY OF SAN JUAN 1942

The Bay of San Juan became a safe haven for all merchant shipping in the Caribbean

MERCHANT SHIP LOSES IN THE CARIBBEAN EARLY 1942. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

42 merchant ships were sunk in March of 1942 (see above), 66 were lost in June alone. Illustration; Gaylord Kelshall “The U-Boat War in the Caribbean”

B-18 BOLO TAKING OFF ON A MARITIME PATROL AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1942

Borinquen Field’s Air Corps took on the U-Boats and brought the War to the Nazi’s in the Caribbean

US DESTROYER ATTACKING U-BOAT IN THE CARIBBEAN 1942. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

P-39 Aircobra of the 32nd Pursuit Squadron 36th Pursuit Group. The squadron patch a “Hound Dog”. They become known as the Wolf Hounds

U-BOAT ATTACKS SHIFT TOWARDS THE NEW WORLD. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

A total of 336 merchant ships would be sunk in the Caribbean by the end of 1942

MATERIAL LOSES TO U-BOATS IN THE CARIBBEAN. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

The amount of raw materials lost is so immense that it will become one of the reasons the Normandy offensive in France, planned for 1943, will be delayed until 1944. The last U-boat attack in the Caribbean occurs off the coast of Puerto Rico, 5 June 1944. Caribbean Convoy (above) (ca. 1942)

AIR AND SEA ROUTES EARLY WWII. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

With U-boats roaming the seas at will, the Caribbean “Southern Air Route” will become the lifeline of the war efforts to come. The “Good Will” and “Arabian Knight” flights had paid off

ATC HQ BORINQUEN FIELD 1942

The responsibility of moving the massive amounts of war material was delegated to Borinquen Field 25th Air Depot and the Air Transport Command. The depot was managed by a 6,247 enlisted and civilian workforce. ATC HQ

BORINQUEN FIELD AIR ROUTE CHARTS 1942

Air routes are identified and plotted. Many overloaded aircrafts and their crews were lost due to mechanical failures

AUXILIARY AIRFIELDS IN THE CARIBBEAN ARE IDENTFIED AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1942

We had the privilege of knowing Stanley Sevilla, seen here with the pointer. Stanley was a member of the RAFBHA and a stout supporter of the Association. Stanley has passed away and is sorely missed. We will keep his memory alive and continue to honor his service to his country

C-46 AND C-47 AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1942

The C-47 “Skytrain” (above) and the C-46 “Commando” (below) were the mainstay of the Air Transport Command

B-17 C-47 AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1942

“Every which way you can”. GI’s were transported to Theatre Operations in any “C” or “B” type aircraft available. B-17 (above), C-47 (below)

BORINQUEN FIELD TOWER, C-46 SEEN LANDING 1942

The responsibility for managing the continuous flow of traffic fell on the shoulder of the Army Airways Communication Service

ANTILLES COMMAND IN THE CARIBBEAN 1942. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

The following numbers reflect the heavy workload at Borinquen Field in 1943

soldiers in transition

86,165

fighter and bomber flights

5,291

cargo/passenger flights

4,836

aircrafts repaired or serviced

1,982

Borinquen Field in the thick of it all. Aircrafts seen in the above image are in transition to European or North Africa operations. Others are assigned to the Caribbean Theatre Operations

F-5 / P-38 – LIGHTNING – AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1943

Two F-5’s (reconnaissance variant of the P-38 Lightning) seen by Hangar 02. PBY seen to the far left of image

P-47 THUNDERBOLT – THE JUG – AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1944

Thirsty P-47N coming in for a pit stop

WAR DEPARTMENT MAP 1943. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

Strategists deem Borinquen Field “a key defensive outpost” and “the most important base in the Caribbean”. The “Southern Air Route” supply’s the following operations:

Operation Lightfoot:

The British offensive in North Africa

Operation Torch:

The first US Army offensive of the War led by General Patton in North Africa

Operation Husky:

The Allied Invasion of Sicily

Operation Avalanche:

The Allied Invasion of Italy

The “Southern Air Route” will be in continuous operation for the duration of the war

BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

The Pacific Theatre Operations was rapidly approaching the island of Tinian of the Marshall Islands chain. The capture of Tinian would bring the Empire of Japan into the range of the B-29

GENERAL ARNOLD INSPECTING CREW OF B-29 AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

The difficulties of “open waters” navigation led to the establishment of an open ocean navigation training program at Borinquen Field. General Arnold inspecting B-29 aircrew attached to the program

B-29 CREWS AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

B-29 crews ready for departure

BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE HISTORY

The training route established was Borinquen Field to the City of Baltimore and back. This would be the same distance from Tinian to Tokyo and back, a 3000 mile round trip. The training included “mock “P-39 fighter attacks along the route

GYPSY TASK FORCE B-29 TAKING OFF AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

So many squadrons were being trained at Borinquen Field they became known as the “Gypsy Task Force”. B-29 taking off on a training flight

GYPSY TASK FORCE B-29 COMING IN FOR A LANDING AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

Enola Gay navigator, Captain Theodore Van Kirk, was trained at Borinquen Field before being assigned to the “atomic bomb” group

B-29 WRECK OFF BORINQUEN FIELD

The Gypsy Task Force was no stranger to the B-29’s reoccurring engine problems. This B-29 did an emergency ditching one mile north of Borinquen Field 31 May 1945. This B-29, 42-65287, was assigned to the 461st BS 346th BG

B-29, B-25, P-38 AND C-47 AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

B-29 with “darkened” lower fuselage for night bombing operations. C-47’s, B-25 and P-38 seen with Tower in the background

8 May 1945 marks VE Day. Troops and aircrafts are to be transferred to the Pacific Theatre Operations. The “Southern Air Route” will be set in reverse. Europe to West Africa, across to Brazil, northbound thru the Caribbean, Florida to the West Coast. Two operations are set into action to execute this gigantic undertaking

TEN C-54 AT THE READY FOR OPERATION GREEN AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

“Operation Green” was the massive airlift of soldiers from Europe to the Pacific Theatre Operations

OPERATION GREEN TRANSIENTS AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

Every which way you can one more time. Tired GI’s arrive at Borinquen Field after a very long flight (above). GI’s pick up their gear and ready for next flight (below)

OPERATION WHITE P-47 AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

“Operation White” was the movement of combat aircrafts from Europe to the Continental USA. P-47 ready to fly stateside

OPERATION WHITE AIRCRAFTS AT BORINQUEN FIELD 1945

In the month of July 1945 the staggering amount of 14,297 aircrafts and 22,197 troops passed thru Borinquen Field. This would break down to, statistically, 19 flights and 716 troops EVERY HOUR 24 hours a day for 31 days. Stack em, pack em, fuel em and rotate em

GOING HOME. BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE 1945

The war in the Pacific ended 15 August 1945, VJ day. The men who fought in Europe will not have to fight in the Pacific. The troops flying the “Southern Air Route” would now be, “Going Home”

MONUMENT TO THE FALLEN AT BORINQUEN FIELD – RAMEY AIR FORCE BASE (ABOVE IMAGE)